Tumbler for combination locks



Sept. 5, 1933. w DQENGES 1,925,980

TUMBLER FOR COMBINATION LOCKS Filed Oct. 10, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 5, 1933:"

w. F. DOENGES TUMBLER FOR COMBINATION LOCKS Filed 00f.

10, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 5, 1933 rrs srarss TUMBLER FOR COMBINATION LOCKS William F. Doenges, San Antonio, Tex.

combination or permutation locks, and has particular reference to a tumbler in which the tumbler opening cannot be rendered visible from the exterior or" the lock casing by the use of certain forms of electric rays.

In the usual construction of combination or permutation locks of the sliding or rotating tumbler type, each tumbler is provided with an opening or recess which, when alined with the like openings of its adjacent, associated tumblers, permits the cooperating lock bolt to enter the alined recesses to efiect the release of the looking member, whereby the door or other closure with which the lock is associated, may be readily released and moved to open position. In such.

loci: constructions, the proper alinement of the openings of the respective tumblers requires a prior knowledge of a predetermined combination or setting. Recent developments and improvements in the art relating to X-rays and the gamma rays of radium have led to the production of relatively simple apparatus for the generation of rays which will penetrate an ordinary lock lock mechanism and the door or closure with which the lock mechanism is associated.

It is an object of my invention to provide a tumbler for use in combination or permutation locks, in which the tumbler opening is normally closed, so that it cannot be rendered visible from the exterior of the casing by the use of certain forms or" electric rays.

It is an object of my invention to provide a tumbler for use in combination or permutation locks in which the tumbler opening is normally closed and, hence, not visible by the use of certain forms of electric rays, and which opens only at the time the tumbler openings of all of the coperating tumblers are properly alined and the tumbler-engaging portion of the associated lock mechanism is moved into said alined openings.

It an object of my invention to provide a tumbler for use in combination or permutation locks in which the tumbler comprises an inner or stationary member having an opening or recess, and an outer or movable member having a 1931. Serial No. 568,185

tumbler opening normally closed by a sliding plug which occupies said opening, the construction being such that when the opening or recess in the inner or stationary member is in alinement with the tumbler opening in the outer or movable 60 member, the closure plug can be moved into the recess in the inner or stationary member by operation of the tumbler-engaging portion of the lock mechanism, to permit the release or" the door or closure with which the lock is associated.

It is a further object or" my invention to provide a tumbler of the type above described and including means for changing or varying the combination or setting of the tumbler to control the point in the cycle of operation of the two members where the normal1y-closed tumbler opening in the outer or movable member will alinewith the opening in the inner or stationary member so that the closure plug can be moved 7 from said outer or movable member into the inner or stationary member to open the tumbler opening and permit the entry thereinto of the tumbler-engaging portion. of the lock bolt.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a tumbler for use in combination or permutation looks, that is simple in construction, cheap and easy to manufacture, strong and durable and highly eficient in the purpose for which designed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and wherein, for the purpose of illustration, I have shown the invention applied to a tumbler of the rotary type as a preferred embodiment of my invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a dial-controlled combination or permutation lock mechanism,-the tumbler casing being shown in section,

Fig. 2 is an end view of the lock looking at the right hand end of Fig. 1 and showing, in dotted lines, the relative positions of the tumbler openings and associated parts of the lock mechanism,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional View through the peripheral portion of one of the tumblers,

Fig. 4 is a disassembled, perspective View of one or the combination changing devices employed in my improved tumbler construction,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of one of the tumblers.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the plug which is associated with the tumbler opening in the outer, movable member, and the plug and spring associated with the inner stationary member thereof, and,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary edge view of one of the tumblers, showing the plug which normally occupies the tumbler opening in said tumbler.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals have been employed to designate like parts throughoutthe several views, the numeral 1 designates a combination-or permutation lock casing, having a centrally-apertured' front wall 2 through which extends an operating shaft 3 connected to the dial plate 4 having an operating knob 5 by means of which the shaft and dial are rotated, it being understood that the dial 4 is provided with numbers and/or graduations indicating the extent to which theshaft must be turned to impart the necessary clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation to the turnblers within the lock casing 1. The operating. shaft 3 has secured near its inner end and within the casing I, a primary drive disk 6, by means of which the rotation of the shaft 3 istransmittedto the adjacent rotary tumbler. Pivotally mounted on the casing 1, .by means of a screw or pin 7, is a lock bolt 8, the inner or fence end 9 of which is adapted to enter the alfned tumbler openings to permit the lock bolt to move about its pivotal mounting to release the outer end 10 of the lock bolt from engagement with the keeper or other mechanism on the door or closure with which the said lock is associated. Within the casing 1, is secured, by means of attachingscrews 11, a curb" 12, to which is attached the stationary tumbler post or arbor 13, this post or arbor being provided on its outer surface with two axially extending, diametrically opposed grooves 1414, and having near its outer end a circumfereutially-extending groove 15, adapted-to rec'eive therein a snap ring 16, which holds the tumblers 17 in assembled position on the post or arbor 13,. thin steel washers "having tongues adapted to enter the grooves 14 beingplaced on the post or arbor between the tumblers to prevent contact between the consecutively adjacent tumblers. The post or arbor 13 is hollow and receives therein the inner end of the operating shaft 3, the engagement being such. that the shaft 3' is free torotate within said stationary arbor 13. All of the mechanism thus far described is old and well known and forms no part of my present invention, and the operation of combination or permutation locks of this character is so 'generally'understood as to make further' description unnecessary.

Referring now to the construction of the tumbler which forms the subject-matter of my present application, it will be seen that the same comprises a; two part construction, including an inner or stationary'member 18 and an outer or movable member l9-adapted to be rotated around the inner member, the inner member being of annular form and having inwardly extending projections 20 adapted to engage within the axially extending grooves 14-14 of the tumbler post or arbor 13, whereby said inner, annular member is prevented from rotating on said tumbler post. The inner or stationary member 18 is provided on its outer periphery with an outwardly- I extending, centrally-located flange 21, and at one point in its periphery is provided with a radially-extending recess or opening 22 which extends completely through the width and depth of member 19 is of annular form, and is provided on its inner periphery with a groove adapted to receive therein the peripheral flange 21 of the inner or stationary member, the outer member 19 being freely rotatable about the inner member 18. To facilitate the assembly of the two principal parts of the tumbler, one of the flanges 19 of the groove may be made separate from the body portion 19, which flange may, after assembly of the two members'be secured to the body portion by spot welding or by means of screws 19 or other suitable fastening means. At one point in its periphery, the outer movable member 19 is; provided with a radially-extending recess or opening 23 which constitutes the tumbler opening, this recess or opening extending completely through the width and depth of the said outer or movablemember, as best shown in Figs. 5,6 and 8 of the accompanying drawings. The spaced, parallel side walls of the recess or opening 22 in the inner or stationary member, are longitudinally grooved as indicated at 24, and the outer ends of said opening are provided with overhanging portions 25. Slidably mounted within the opening or recess 22 is a relatively shallow plug member 26, the ends of which'are positioned within the grooves 24, the upper corners of this plug member 26 being notched as indicated at 2'7, the arrangement and relative size of the respective parts being such that the plug 26 is freely slidable up and down within the grooves 24 and is confined within the recess 22 by engagement of the notches 2'7 and overhanging portions 25, the top surface of the plug 26 being curved to conform to the outer surface of the flange 21.. Within the opening 22 and positioned between'the plug 26 and the bottom of said recess, is an'expansicn spring 28, which resiliently urges the plug to its outermost position, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The spaced,

parallel side walls of the tumbler opening 23 in the outer or'movable member 19 are longitudinally grooved, as indicated at 29, and the outer ends of said grooves are provided with overhanging portions 3 Slidably mounted within the opening 23 and centrally thereof, is a plug member 31, provided with end extensions 32 positioned within the grooves 29, the upper corners of this plug member 31 being notched as indimember to a position where the plug 31 is in radial alinement with the plug 26, the plug 31 can be moved out of the tumbler opening 23 and, by depressing the plug 26 and its resilient supporting spring 28, this plug 31 will clear the tumbler opening 23 by moving into the opening or recess 22, and permit the fence to move into said tumbler opening to release the lock bolt and permit the opening of the door or other closure with which the lock mechanism is associated. When the lock bolt is moved into locking position and the fence moves out ofthe tumbler opening, the spring 28 will force the plug 26 and the plug 31 to their outermost position, with the plug 31 closing the tumbler opening 23. Hence, the tumbler opening 23 is normally closed and sliding block member 41, I provide a leaf spring.

cannot be rendered visible from the exterior of the lock casing by the use of certain forms of electric rays, thus effectively accomplishing the primary objects of my invention.

When a plurality of these tumblers made in accordance with my present invention are assembled on the stationary arbor 10, the projections 20 enter the axially-extending grooves 14 and maintain the inner member 18 of each tumbler in fixed position, with the recess 22 and its associated plug 26 and spring 28, directly above the inner or fence end 9 of the lock bolt 8, as best shown in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings. Through the instrumentality of the operating knob 5, dial 4, operating shaft 3 and primary drive wheel 6, and the fly and pin connection between the primary drive wheel 6 and the adjacent tumbler and between each of the consecutively adjacent tumblers, the outer or movable member 19 of each tumbler is moved to a position where the plugs 31 of each tumbler are axially alined with respect to the arbor or post 13 and radially alined with respect to the openings 22 of each tumbler, whereupon the inner or fence end 9 of the lock bolt 8 can move into the normally closed tumbler openings 23 to permit the releasing of the lock mechanism, the inward movement of said inner or fence end of the lock bolt forcing the plug 31 into the opening 22 in the inner or stationary member 18 against the plug 26 and its associated spring 28.

In order to permit the changing of the lock combination'or setting, whereby to vary the point in the cycle of rotation of the outer or movable member of each tumbler, where the tumbler opening 23 and plug 31 will be radially alined with the opening 22 and plug 26, I have provided the outer or movable member with a novel means for selectively varying the position of the fly and pin connection between the primary drive wheel and the adjacent tumbler and betweenthe consecutively adjacent tumblers. To this end, I provide each side face of the outer movable member 19 with an annular groove 34 having an undercut, inwardly and downwardly-inclined bottom surface 35 and an undercut, inwardly and upwardly-inclined top surface 36, this top surface 36 having a series of radially extending teeth 37, which teeth are graduated and numbered clocl wise with consecutive numerals corresponding with the unit marks or graduations on the dial 4. While I have shown the side faces of the tumbler provided with sixty-nine complete teeth numbered 3 to 72 inclusive, it is to be understood that any number of teeth, suitably numbered, may be provided, and that in each instance, the number of teeth and numerals correspond to the graduations and numbers on the dial 4. Within each of the grooves 34, I position a selectively movable fly member 38, comprising a U-shaped body portion 39, having a downwardly and inwardly-inclined bottom surface 40, adapted to slide within the groove 34 and along the inwardly and downwardly-inclined bottom surface 35 of 43 which resiliently supports the sliding block member 41 and tends to urge the said block member into engagement with the teeth 37 of the outer or movable member 19. Each of the blocks 41 is provided on its-outer face with a notch or groove 44, which may be engaged by the fingernail or by a suitable instrument to depress the sliding block 41 against the spring 43 to disengage the teeth 42 of said block from the teeth 37 of the annular groove 34, whereby the fly member 38 may be moved around the said groove and the teeth 42 again engaged with the teeth 3'7 at a point opposite any of the several numbered teeth of the series, a suitable mark 45 being provided on the outer face of the block member 41 which can be alined with the selected gradua-' tion on the side face of the tumbler 17. One of the blocks 41 of each tumbler may be provided.

with a projecting pin 46 adapted to project into the annular groove 34 of the adjacent tumbler when a plurality of said tumblers are arranged in consecutively adjacent positions on the post or arbor 13, this pin 46 contacting with the fly member 38 of the adjacent tumbler and transmitting the rotation of one tumbler to its consecutively adjacent tumbler in the same manner as occurs in the fly and pin connection of con ventional rotary tumbler lock mechanisms.

To form a new combination or setting with the combination-changing mechanism just described, it is only necessary to take out the screws 11 in the back of the curb and remove the lock cover with the tumblers attached. The wire snap-ring 16 is removed from engagement with in the annular groove 15 and the four tumblers 1'7 and intermediate washers removed from the post orarbor 13. Assuming that the combination desired is 10203040, the fly members 38. of the first tumbler are moved around in the grooves 34 until the mark 45 on the block 41 comes opposite thenumeral 10 on the side face of the tumbler. This tumbler is then replaced on the arbor 13 and a washer placed over it. Operate the same way for the second tumbler, setting, the fly members opposite the numeral 20 and replace this tumbler on the arbor 13 and put a washer over it, the pin 46 of the fly member occupying a position within the annular groove 34 of the first tumbler. Then set the fly members 38 of the third tumbler opposite the numeral 30 and replace this tumbler on the arbor 13 with a washer over it, the pin 46 of the fly member occupying a position within the annular groove 34 of'the second tumbler. Then set the fly members 38 of the fourth tumbler opposite the numeral 40 and replace this tumbler on the arbor 13 and replace the snap-ring 16 within the groove 15 to.

hold the tumblers on the post or arbor 13. Then replace the curb, with the tumblers attached, and put back the screws 11 securely. When thus assembled, the pin of the primary drive wheel 6 occupies a position within the annular groove 34 of the fourth tumbler, it being understood that the fly and pin connection between the primary drive wheel and the adjacent tumbler and between the consecutively adjacent tumblers transmits the rotation of the shaft 3 to the tumblers and that by a proper manipulation of the knob 5 and dial 4, the tumbler openings 23 of the four tumblers are moved into axial alinement with each other and into radial alinement with respect to the resiliently supported plug 26 of. the inner or stationary member, this alinement permitting the inner or" fence; end-'9 o! the lock bolt 8 to force the plugs 31 out of the tumbler openings 23 and into the openings 22 of the inner'or' stationary members',-to release-the lock mechanism and permit-the door or other closure to be moved toopen position. When the inner or fence end 9 of the lockbolt movesout the openings; the springs 28 move the plugs 31 out oi. the openings 22and into the open ings 23, whereupon the outer ormovable member 19 is free to be moved around the inner or stationary member 18.

It is to be understood thatthe formof my invention hereinshown and described is to be taken as a preferredexample of the same/and that various changes intthe shape, size and construction of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my: invention or the scope of the subjoined claims. I,

, Having thus described my invention, I claim:--.- 1. A tumbler for use in combination locks, comprising a stationary member having an opening,

a movable member having av tumbler opening, and a plug slidably mounted in the tumbler opening to normally close the same and adapted to be moved into the opening in the stationary meme her when said openings arealined.

2. A tumbler foruse in'combination locks, comprising an inner member having an opening, an

outer member having a tumbler opening, and a plug slidably mounted in the tumbler opening to normally close the same and adapted to be moved-into the opening in the inner member when said openings are alined.

3; A tumbler for use in combination locks, com, prising an inner stationary'member having an opening, an outer movable minberhaving a tumbler opening, and. a plug slidably mounted in the-tumbler opening of the outer movable membeer to normally close said opening and adapted tobe moved into the opening in the inner stationary member when said openings are alined.

4. A tumbler for use in combination locks, comprising an annular stationary'member having a peripheral'opening, a second annular-member rotatably mounted withrespect to theannular stationary member and having atumbler' opening, and a plugslidablymounted in the tumbler opening to normally close the same and adapted to bemoved into the openingin the'annularsta' tionary member when said openingsare alined-L;

'5. A tumbler for use in combination locks, comprising an inner, annular, stationarymem= her having a peripheral opening, an outer annu lar member rotatably mounted on said "inner member and having a tumbler opening'and a plugslidably mounted in the tumbler opening to nor mally close the same and adapted 'to be moved into the peripheral opening in the inner, annular,

stationary member when said openings'are alined.

6. A tumbler for use in combination locks; comprising a stationary member having-an open-' ing, a spring-pressed plug within said opening, amovablemember having a tumbler opening, and a plug slidably mounted in the tumbler opening to normally close the same andadapted to be moved into the opening in the stationary member against the spring-pressed plug therein when said. openings are alined. l 7. A tumbler for use in combination lock comprisingan annular member having a periphera-1 opening, a plug slidably mounted in' said opening, a spring within the opening for resiliently supporting said plug, 'a second annular member rotatably mounted with respect to the nozaoao.

first annular member and having a tumbler opening, and a plug slidably mounted in the tumbler opening to normally close the same and adapted to be moved into the opening of the first annular member to depress the plug and spring therein When said openings and plugs are alined.

8. :A tumbler for use in combination locks, comprising a stationary member having an opening, a movable member having a tumbler opening, the side walls defining said tumbler opening having longitudinal grooves therein, and a plug slidably mounted in the tumbler opening to normally close the same and adapted to be moved into the opening in ,the stationary member when said openings are alined, said plug having end extensions adapted to slidably engage the longitudinal grooves in the side Walls defining the tumbler opening. I

9. A tumbler for use in combination locks, comprising a stationary member having an opening, the side walls defining said opening having longitudinal grooves therein, a spring-pressed plug Within said opening having end extensions adapted to, slidably engage said longitudinal grooves; a movable member having a tumbler opening, and a plug slidably mounted in the tumbler :opening to normally close the same and adapted to be moved into the opening in the stationary member against the spring-pressed plug therein when said openings are alined.

10. A tumbler for use in combination locks, comprising a stationary member having an opening, a movable member having a tumbler opening, the side walls defining said tumbler opening having longitudinal grooves therein and having overhanging portion at the outer end of each ofsaid grooves, and a plug slidably mounted in the tumbler openingto normally close the same andadaptecl to be moved into the opening in the stationary member when said openings are alined, said plug having end extensions adapted to slidably engage said longitudinal grooves and to engage the overhanging portion at the outer end of each of said grooves.

' 11. A tumbler for use in combination locks, comprising an inner member having an opening, the side walls defining said opening having longitudinal grooves therein and having an overhanging portion at the outer end of each of said grooves, a spring pressed plug Within said opening having end extensions adapted to slidably engage said longitudinal grooves and to engage the overhanging portion at the outer end of each of said grooves to retainthe plug within the opening, a movable member having a tumbler opening, and a, plug siidably mounted in the tumbler opening to normally close the same and adapted to be moved into the opening in the stationary member against the spring-pressed plug therein when said openings are alined.

12. A tumbler for use in combination locks, comprising an inner annular member having an outwardly-extending peripheral flange and a peripheral opening extending through said flange and into the annular'member; an outer annular member having an inner peripheral groove for slidably engaging the flange of the inner member whereby said outer and inner members are rotatably mounted with respect to each other, said outer member having atumbler opening; and a plug slidably mounted in the tumbler opening to normally close the same and adapted to be moved into the opening in the annular stationary member when said openings are alined.

WILLIAM F. DOENGES. 

